A wave of fresh unrest rippled across Iraq on Thursday as security forces clashed with demonstrators in Baghdad and cities in the south, leaving more than two dozen protesters dead and a diplomatic mission burned, and prompting Iraq’s government to form new “crisis cells” to manage the unfolding turmoil. The latest surge of violence — which included an attack on the Iranian consulate in Najaf, a city sacred to Shiite Muslims — underscored the deep challenges for authorities after nearly two months of anti-government protests over a high unemployment rate, corruption and poor government services in this oil-rich nation. It also draws Iran, governed by a Shiite theocracy, deeper into the unrest. Iran is a major backer of the Iraqi government and holds powerful […]